An excellent source of information to help those GM's who need information to set the background of their stories. This source book was a big very help to me in understanding how different clans run their unique cities and holds within them. The most useful was the write up on Toshi Ranbo itself along with complete stat layouts of several of the most notable NPCs there. The icing on the book itself was the additional game mechanics included at the end of each chapter and the layout of each city as an individual chapter. The only bad thing I can say about this book are the misprinted game mechanics in some sections. Excellent read and a must for GM's and Players alike!

Strongholds of the Empire is yet another essential addition to any L5R 4th Edition Library. Any of the cities presented could spawn several dozen different campaigns that don’t even need to go beyond the city walls. There’s plenty of conflict and politics to go around, and for the ambitious, there’s always the extra challenge of playing in a campaign set in Toshi Ranbo, the Imperial City that is shared between the Lion and the Crane.

Well written, beautifully illustrated, and very useful for new and experienced L5R GMs and players alike, Strongholds of the Empire is a strong first entry into PDF sourcebooks, and I can only hope that Alderac continues to publish in this format.